“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!” - Psalm 34:1-3

When we pray, it’s easy to immediately jump into our long list of needs and burdens. While that isn’t necessarily wrong, I do believe it’s beneficial to begin with praise and thanksgiving. Jesus when teaching us to pray started with, “Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name” - He started by recognizing and acknowledging God’s Holiness. It does us good to start our times of prayer with God by recognizing and praising God for His Greatness and goodness.

Even in the New Testament, we see prayer and thanksgiving continually linked. Colossians 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.”

So today - let's have our minds and mouths continually praise God for His goodness. Take a moment to pray and just praise God for who He is. Praise Him for His Holiness, for His power, for His goodness, for His kindness, for His mercy. Maybe go outside and soak up the beauty of Spring for a moment, and then Praise Him for His beauty and creativity seen in the blossoms and flowers of this season.

Today, let His praise continually be in your mouth.

Day 2

Prayer of Invitation

“Asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” - Colossians 1:9-10

When we hear godlessness or ungodliness, we may immediately picture someone living an immoral or unrighteous life. However, I would put forward that it is rooted rather in an attitude toward God. Godless literally means, without God. It’s a way of living where God is absent from much or all of our lives. Jerry Bridges says it this way, “Ungodliness may be defined as living one’s life with little or no thought of God or of God’s will, or of God’s glory, or of one’s dependence on God.” While I know most of you have acknowledged Jesus as your Savior, I would anticipate that for many of us, He is noticeably absent from much of our daily routines. Sure, we may have our quiet time and do devotions, but once that’s over, do we really acknowledge Him throughout the rest of our day?

Today, I want you to repeatedly invite God into what you’re doing, right now. Don’t just seek Him in a 10-15 minute quiet time, but also invite Him into everything you’re doing. This doesn’t mean stopping for a lengthy prayer a dozen times in a day, but rather quick prayers of invitation throughout the day, (example: “Holy Spirit, lead me and guide me in this meeting”). I know it’s easy to go about a normal day, let alone a quarantined day, without ever really acknowledging God’s presence. But today that changes. This afternoon, this evening, before bed, in the morning as you awake, pause and invite Jesus into your daily routines, ask Him to make His presence known, and use even your everyday rhythms to speak to you and use you.

Invite God to lead you and guide you, each waking hour of every single day.

Day 3

A listening Prayer

“I have calmed and quieted my soul” - Psalm 131:2

Have any of you had that child that just keeps coming up to you, all day long, and just won’t stop talking? Like seriously, lots of words, all day long? Yeah, me neither. :) Well, sometimes I wonder if that’s not how we handle our time with our Heavenly Father. Don’t get me wrong, God is NEVER annoyed by us talking to Him. But, sometimes I wonder what would happen if we spent as much time listening to Him in our prayers, as we do expecting Him to listen to us.

If our prayer times are just us talking to God, how do we expect to be led and guided by Him in our lives? Scripture obviously gives us general direction and instruction, but for the specific requests in our lives, we need His guidance, we need His voice. He gave us the presence of His Holy Spirit in our lives, but sometimes I fear we miss His guidance because we never give Him time or space to speak to us. Or perhaps better stated, we never are quiet enough to hear Him speak.

So today, I encourage you to carve out at least 5 minutes of absolute quiet. I like starting my listening prayers by reading Psalm 131. Then I quietly pray, “Holy Spirit speak”. Then I just enjoy the presence of God in silence. Perhaps the quiet with Him is all you need. Or perhaps He will bring something to mind you need to hear. Regardless, let’s calm and quiet our souls in the presence of our God today.

Day 4

Praying Scripture

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father….to know the love of Christ” - Ephesians 3:14-21

As most of you know, I like talking….to just about anyone. And prayer is simply talking to God. So when I pray, I rarely am at a loss for words. However, sometimes my words just seem empty and lacking. In those moments, I like to look to Scripture for prayers. There’s something powerful about praying Scripture. It’s an amazing way of God’s Word’s being used to Glorify Him while it encourages, challenges, and pours into me. I would strongly encourage you to make praying Scripture a regular thing in your life. So today, I want to give you a Scriptural prayer to pray. And since it starts with the statement of physically kneeling in prayer, I would encourage you to do so as well, if you are able.

So today, pray this from Ephesians 3. And while this prayer is phrased as a prayer for others, pray it for yourself as well as for others.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly that all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

And so I pray that I, and you, would come to understand and experience the grandness of Christ’s love for us, so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Day 5

Prayer of Intercession

“You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” - 2 Corinthians 1:11

As the Apostle Paul begins his second letter to the Church in Corinth, he makes mention that he and others had faced horrific afflictions in Asia. They thought they may be facing certain death. This ordeal however, caused them to rely not on self, “but on God who raises the dead." Then he called for all believers to pray and intercede on their behalf, that God might deliver them from their afflictions, and so that many could rejoice in the prayers being answered.

Today, our world is facing a major affliction. There is so much uncertainty, but what we do know is that millions are suffering. Health care workers are on the front lines. They are facing difficult decisions and are dealing with the ravaging effects of this virus. Pray for them. There are families being kept apart during difficult and important times because of quarantines. Pray for them. There are people battling this virus, uncertain if they’ll live. Pray for them. There are people mourning the loss of loved ones in isolation right now. Pray for them. There are people who have lost their jobs and are living in fear of what the future may hold. Pray for them. There are parents and children, at the 'end of their ropes'. Pray for them. There are people stuck in abusive homes without anyone around to help them. Pray for them. There are political, community, business, and Church leaders facing impossibly difficult decisions about how best to move forward in the face of this. Pray for them. There are people now facing their own mortality, that are beginning to seek out Eternal Truths. Pray for them.

Prayer is not our last line of defense in our lives, it’s our first. Prayer changes things. So today, pray for strength for those who need it. Pray for healing, for wisdom, for peace, and for rescue. Pray that lives are spared, that treatments are discovered, and that Christ's love would cast out fear. Pray that while physical lives are being saved, hearts would turn to our living God and eternal life in Jesus would be found.

Today, we intercede for those around us. We take the burdens of this world, and place them in the hands of our all-powerful God.

Day 6

Prayer of Humility

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” 1 Peter 3:8

In Peter’s first letter to the Church, he speaks to both family relationships as well as Church relationships. His practical instruction hit home for me as we prepare to gather online tomorrow morning. He makes an appeal for unity, and ends the verse by imploring us to have “a tender heart and a humble mind’. While I already know what the message tomorrow morning will be, I also know that if I humble myself and soften my own heart, God will speak to me through my message, just as He can speak to you.

So today as we finish up our Saturday errands and tasks, take a moment to pray in preparation for tomorrow’s Worship Service. Pray that although we are apart, we can be united through the Spirit. Pray that we can be filled with love, care, and sympathy for one another. And then pray specifically for yourself, that God would soften your heart and humble your mind. I know for myself just how important this is. If I approach any Church service with pride or hardness of heart, regardless of how great it was, I will leave mostly unchanged. On the flip side, if I approach a service in humility, asking God to speak to me, regardless of how imperfect it may have been, I will leave changed.

So today, pray that God would soften your heart, and humble your mind as you prepare to meet with the Living God tomorrow in Worship. Pray that through our time ’together’, the Truth of His Word and the power of His Spirit, will leave you changed.

Day 7

Prayer of Acknowledgment

“But he said to me, ‘My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” - 2 Corinthians 12:9

If you were able to join us for Worship this morning, you know the message was about Moses meeting with God and receiving a divine call to free God’s people from Egypt. You also know that in that moment, Moses was completely overwhelmed and made excuse after excuse as to why he couldn’t possibly be capable of the mission. But God made it clear to Moses. While he absolutely had human deficiencies, God would be with him, and God’s power would be seen in Moses’ areas of weakness.

There may be things you’re facing that you don’t feel capable of. Or maybe your past, or even present circumstances are overwhelming you. That’s okay. God never promised to make our lives easy. But He did promise to display His power in our weakness. He did promise that His grace would be enough for us. So then, come to God in prayer in the areas you feel overwhelmed. Ask Him for the strength to be faithful, for the endurance you need, and that His power could be seen in your weakness. With God, all things are possible. And as 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and for Godliness”. Through Him, you are able.

So today, take your burdens and your weaknesses to God in prayer. Let Him carry the heavy burdens that you face. Acknowledge your need for Him, and then praise Him as He makes His strength known in your weaknesses.

DAY 8

A.C.T.S. method of Prayer

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” - Ephesians 6:18

There are so many ways to pray, and so many things we can pray about. We should feel free to approach God on any subject, and do so in numerous ways. But perhaps there are some days when you're just not sure how to get started in prayer. Maybe you struggle with prayer, or just struggle to stay ‘on topic’ when you’re having your quiet time with God. In those moments, I like to use some different methods to help me get started. While there is no perfect blueprint for prayer, you may find the A.C.T.S. method of prayer helpful at times.

It’s just a simple guide to help approach God in prayer by breaking your prayer time into 4 categories. You start with the A and work your way through.

A - Adoration

Begin your prayer time by praising God for who He is, His character. Thank God for being kind, trustworthy, ever-present etc. We gain clarity in our own lives when we reflect on God’s character.

C - Confession

Next, be honest with God about your shortcomings. He knows them all anyway, but get it out in the open with Him. Confess your sins, your failures, your regrets. Let Jesus take the burden of your mistakes off of your shoulders.

T - Thanksgiving

Prayer and thanksgiving are linked all throughout scripture. And after a time of confession, we should be filled with gratitude. Thank God for His forgiveness and thank Him for His blessings. While Adoration is focused on His character, Thanksgiving is focused on His good gifts to us.

S - Supplication

Putting our requests at the end can be very helpful. I’ve often found that by time I get to them, they’ve changed because of how God has changed me during the first 3 steps of prayer. But now, let Him know your needs, the things burdening your heart, and the things you know others need. We have a good God who gives good gifts, so ask Him for what you need.

So if it’s helpful, I encourage you to use this simple acronym to guide your time of prayer today. Your heavenly Father can’t wait to meet with you today, so don’t delay!!

Day 9

Prayer of Understanding

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” - Ephesians 1:18

If you have attended our Church for some time, you may have heard me speak about blind spots in our lives. None of us see our own, yet all of us have them. That’s why they're called “blind” spots. Sometimes it’s an area of sin, other times it’s just an area of immaturity. But it’s easy to go about our daily lives without ever really acknowledging that there may be hidden areas we need God to work in. I love that Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians above, is one where he desires for the eyes of their hearts to be opened. And I love the way the Message version finishes the statement, “so you can see exactly what it is He is calling you to do”.

Today, I want you to pray in such a way that you are asking God to open the eyes of your heart. Do this, so that you can better understand what He wants to do in you, and what He wants to do through you. During this time of disruption, I know that God is desiring to do a work in, and through, each one of us. And it’s likely in an area that’s a bit of a blind spot. So ask God to open your eyes to what He wants to do. Because without the Spirit’s work within us, we will remain blind and ineffective.

Father God, use your Spirit to open the eyes of my heart today. Make me a willing servant, and one who’s eyes are open, “so that I can see exactly what it is you are calling me to do.” Amen.

Day 10

Prayer of Delight

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” - Psalm 37:4

I saw a joke once about the notion that money can’t buy happiness. It then said, “but it can buy a jet ski….and have you ever seen anyone frowning on a jet ski?” While I understand the point of the joke, my mind immediately went to, “but what happens when you inevitably have to get off of the jet ski?” I’m sure all of us find joy and happiness in many ways in our life. Perhaps it’s in our family, or in the beauty of creation, in our favorite sports team, or maybe our hobbies. While these aren’t bad, the true test of our joy is what happens when we those areas fail us.

Right now I miss sports. I miss cheering on the Thunder and celebrating another Jayhawk National Championship. But if those where the true sources of my joy, I’d be pretty depressed right now. Thankfully, God shows us our joy and delight should be centered in Him. Then He says, I’ll give you what you desire most. Now this doesn’t mean if we find joy in God we’ll get a million dollars. What it means is that if we choose to have our joy centered in our relationship with Jesus, He’ll give us exactly that, Joy! When the world shuts down and there’s no more sports. We’ll still have joy! When we mourn and grieve the loss of a loved one, joy can still remain. When we lose a job or see our retirement crumble. We can still have joy!

So today, ask God to help you find your true delight and joy in Him. Then you can be amazed at how His joy will fill you, even in the hard times.

day 11

Prayer of Commitment

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” - Psalm 37:5

I am so grateful for a God who is present in my life, regardless of my circumstances. Through good times and bad, I know that He walks with me. However, we are called to continually work to make sure He is leading us in our lives, not just tagging along for the ride. There are 3 major pieces to the verse above, and I hope they guide you in prayer today. First, we are called to hand over the reigns to God in our lives. We are to make sure He is the one guiding us through life. Second, once we give Him control, we have to trust Him. Even when He takes us in a direction we may not want to go, we have to take our hands off the wheel, and trust Him. Third, we then have confidence that He will accomplish His will in our lives. If we give Him control and trust His leading, He will accomplish His perfect plan in us, and through us.

Today, I want you to pray through these pieces. Ask God to take control of your life. Tell Him you’re willing to let Him lead instead of just tagging along on ‘your’ plans. Then, tell Him you trust Him. Even when things get tough, you’ll let Him lead. Finally, take comfort in knowing that His good and perfect will is going to be accomplished. Our God is trustworthy, so commit your day and future to His control today.

Day 12

Prayer of Openness

“Search me….and see if there be any grievous way in me” - Psalm 139:24

The last couple days we’ve prayed that we would commit our directions and plans to God. We’ve also prayed that He would be our source of delight and joy. Today, I want to build on that. Sometimes it’s easy to think we’ve accomplished the above objectives if we get things right in most areas of our life. And yet God is not satisfied until He has made things right in every area of our life. Today’s prayer is about allowing God to point out those areas where we still need His work.

As David writes this Psalm, He’s inviting God to come in and find any area that might not be right in his life. The word “grievous” here, means a place of sin or failure that causes God to grieve. This could mean it’s a place of sin where He wants us to know wholeness and holiness rather than brokenness. It might be a place we just haven’t let God take control. Or it may mean we are living good moral lives, but yet are refusing to join Him in His mission of bringing the Gospel to the people around us.

Today’s prayer is difficult. Because we know it means God will reveal things in our life that need to be taken care of. But don’t fear, because in Christ there is no condemnation. God always has good plans for us, even if the journey has to get bumpy for a bit. So today, invite God to find the places in your life that are causing Him pain and grief. Then ask Him to lead you in the path of righteousness and holiness. I promise you won’t regret it.

day 13

Prayer for Unity

“I ask….that they may all be one” - John 17:21

Just before Jesus was arrested, and ultimately crucified, He took a significant amount of time to pray. He needed to meet with His Heavenly Father in order to be fully prepared for what came next. Within this time of prayer, He took time to pray for those who would come to know Him in the years to come. He prayed for you and me! And as He did, He prayed that believers would be united. He knew that unity within the global Church would be crucial in order to reach the world with the Gospel message.

I know that it is so easy to be critical of other believers, other local churches, and churches that do things differently than us. But Jesus prayed for unity across national, denominational, and ethnic boundaries. He prayed that all those who trust in Jesus would be one. So as we prepare to gather as a Church tomorrow, I want you to join me in praying for unity. Not just unity within our own church, but also unity within the global Church. Pray that through this pandemic season, we would unite around the urgent cause of reaching those far from God with the Good News of Jesus. Pray that we would support our brothers and sisters who are enduring persecution and hardship, and that we would be one with all believers.

If Jesus chose to pray for unity among believers in His last hours, it must be important. So pray today, that the Church would unite, and that together we would start a revival across the globe.

Day 14

Pray for one another

“Love one another….rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” - Romans 12

The Church is a precious gift from God. It’s the frontlines of Gospel work in our world. It’s a group of believers, gathering to spur each other on, to care for each other, bear each others burdens, and to encourage one another. The local church is a necessary part of the life of a believer. Not only is it a gift, it’s also a responsibility. And part of this responsibility is lifting each other up in prayer.

Today, I want you to pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Not just in a general way, but rather, pray specifically for one another. Pray for those unable to leave their homes who are feeling the weight of loneliness. Pray for those struggling with health issues. Pray for those silently battling depression and anxiety. Pray for the ones that are struggling to keep their marriage together. Pray for the parents running on empty while raising their little balls of energy. Pray for the parents burdened with their children’s poor choices. Pray for the teens struggling to find their way in a world of temptation and lies. Pray for the children needing to know that God is real. Pray for those who are wrestling with their Faith. Pray for ones who have lost their fervor for the Lord. Pray for those who are struggling to get free of sin in their lives. Pray for those who are mourning loss. Pray for the ones who need wisdom for big decisions. Pray for those who are tired from the weight of this world. Pray for the ones who don’t know how they will pay their bills. Pray for the ones who just need the Spirit to whisper encouragement to them to make it through another day. And finally, praise God with those who are celebrating victories and answered prayers.

We are a family of believers. We’re here for each other, and we pray for each other. So today, we lift each other up to our powerful and loving God.

day 15

The Lord’s Prayer

“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” - Matthew 6:9-13

While the Lord’s prayer is often repeated as a prayer itself, Jesus actually gave it to us as more of a guideline, rather than something to be recited. Today, I want you to use it as just that, a guideline. If you’re interested in an in-depth look at this prayer, I did a message over it on February 16, and it should be available on our website. But today, let’s use it as a guide for prayer.

Our Father, hallowed be your name - Begin by recognizing God as both a close personal ‘Father’ God, and also one deserving of all praise and Glory. He is Holy, and yet also close and personal with us.

Your kingdom come, your will be done - Recognize the Righteousness of God’s Kingdom, while striving to live in such a way that your life reflects the goodness of God and the grace of the Gospel.

Give us this day our daily bread - Remember and thank God for His provision. While we don’t always get what we ‘want’, He always provides what we ‘need'.

Forgive us, as we forgive others - Praise and thank God for His forgiveness made possible through the finished work of Jesus. Then give God your areas of anger and bitterness, allowing His grace and mercy to help you forgive those who have wronged you.

Deliver us from evil - Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to turn away from temptation, knowing that through His presence and work, we can turn from sin and live in faithful and righteous obedience to God.

Today, walk through the Lord’s Prayer. Pause on each section or phrase, and use it to help you talk to God. He is Holy and mighty, and also desires nothing more than to meet with you today. It’s always worth your time.

There are many standards by which we could measure our Spiritual maturity (or immaturity). But perhaps the most helpful to me is that of Galatians 5. The reason I feel this standard for a Christ follower is so helpful, is that it doesn’t rest on human abilities or even human standards. It puts the focus not on us, but rather on the Holy Spirit within. It reveals that a truly Spirit led believer is not just one getting all the “Do’s and Don’ts” right, but also one that exudes the attitude of Christ within them. The goal is not just to be a ‘better person’, but rather one fully surrendered to the Spirit’s presence.

Galatians also shows that the markers given, are the result of one singular “Fruit of the Spirit”. It’s not that one person is just more patient or joyful than another. It’s not that God grants peace to one believer and not another. Rather, if a believer is allowing the Spirit to lead them, they will display each of these. And if one or more are a struggle for the believer, it doesn’t just mean that they need to “work harder at it”. Rather, it reveals that there’s a place or issue in their life, that they need to surrender to the Spirit’s leading.

So today, pray through these evidences of the Spirit in you. When you find one you really struggle with (or several if you’re like me), pause to offer your heart in surrender to the Spirit in that area. Pray and ask God to reveal what might be behind your struggle. Then ask Him to take control of your heart, your mind, your affections and emotions, and ask that His Spirit be clearly seen in you today.

day 17

Prayer for Brokenness

“I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.” - Romans 9:2

Typically when we hear someone’s had a broken heart, or is filled with sorrow and anguish, we pray for them to be healed and to find peace and wholeness. But in the case of the Apostle Paul in Romans 9, his brokenness would be seen as an answer to prayer. Paul goes on in the above passage to describe his anguish and sorrow. He says his anguish is the result of his desperate desire for his Jewish brethren to come to know Jesus as their Savior. In fact, he states he, “could wish that he himself were cut off from Christ” if it meant he was able to win them for Jesus. His heart was utterly broken because of those who didn’t know Jesus.

When I read and re-read this passage this morning, I had tears in my eyes. Why? Because I can’t say that I’m nearly that broken for my friends and neighbors who are far from God. I greatly desire that they come to know Jesus. But I can’t say I’m filled with “unceasing anguish” as a result. Oh God, may I be so broken by those that don’t know you, that I’m in constant anguish for their eternal state. Burden me, so that I will seek to win them for you Jesus.

Today, I would ask that you make this your prayer as well. Ask God to break your heart for the lost around you. Ask Him to give you such a burden for them, that you are unceasingly bothered by those who have yet to give their life to Jesus. God, break our hearts for what breaks yours. Burden us for the lost.

Day 18

Prayer for Transformation

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” - Romans 12:2

If you’ve been a part of our Church for any period of time, you’ve probably heard us talk about this word, “Transformation”. It is the central purpose and work of our Church. We work to make Cross Timbers Church a place where lives are being transformed. Now, this doesn’t mean that our role is to just help people become better, more moral people. It means that through the Truth of the Gospel and the Power of the Spirit, lives are being made new here. The old is gone, and new life has come. It’s the picture of a seed dying so a tree can grow. It’s a caterpillar ceasing to exist, and a butterfly now living in its place. It’s me dying to my old way of life, and experiencing Real Life in Christ. This is what happens when people find new life in Jesus. And this isn’t a one time thing, it’s a continual process of ongoing transformation until we reach eternity with Jesus.

So today, I want you to pray for our Church. I want you to pray that God would indeed make our Church a place where lives are being transformed through the Gospel. Ask Him to bring people to our Church that need to find New Life through the Gospel. Ask Him to send us out to our neighborhoods and workplaces, to boldly share the transformational message of the Gospel. Ask Him to help long-time believers experience ongoing transformation through the Spirit. Ask Him to radically change every life that is a part of our Church. Ask Him to make transformation the expectation, not the exception in our Church. And if you are joining our 20 Days of Prayer from another Church, pray it over your own local Church. Gospel Transformation is the central mission of every Church. And we want to make sure It’s who we are as well.

Pray that Cross Timbers Church would be known as a place where Jesus is transforming lives.

Day 19

Prayer of Dedication

“[Pray] also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel.” - Ephesians 6:19

Yesterday we prayed that God would make the Church a place of Transformation. We prayed that the Church would bring people from death to Life through the Gospel. Now here’s the hard part. We are the Church. You and me, each one of us make up the Church. Praying the Church reaches the lost, is really a prayer that God would send us each out with the Gospel message. As Jesus left the disciples, He told them to “Go and make disciples of all nations”. This wasn’t necessarily a sending to international missions. Rather the command would be understood, “As you go, make disciples”.

Each of us has a unique group of people we interact with. We have different friends, different neighbors, families and co-workers. And as we go about our daily life, God expects that we use those relationships to point people to Jesus. Sometimes this happens by showing compassion and forgiveness to others. Sometimes this happens by offering to pray for those who are hurting. And often, this happens by sharing how Jesus can change their life. Knowing this, we all must pray that God would open our mouths, and give us the words to “boldly proclaim the mystery of the Gospel” to those in our lives. If the Church is tasked with the ministry of the Gospel, and “We are the Church”, then we need to dedicate our lives to obediently sharing the Gospel with those we care about.

Father God, as a part of your Church, I want to do my part. So open my mouth, and give me the words, to make the Good News of Jesus known to those in my life.

Day 20

Prayer of Expectation

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be Glory” - Ephesians 3:20

Thank you for joining us for these 20 precious days of prayer. It’s been powerful to join as one voice in prayer before our Great and Good God. Today as we close this time of prayer, I want us to turn all that has been on our hearts, over to our capable God. We’ve prayed for many things these past weeks. But the amazing thing is, our God is capable of, and will indeed accomplish, far more than we’ve even brought to Him in prayer.

So, since we know our God, today let’s pray with confidence, joy, and eager expectation. We know our prayers do not fall on deaf ears, but rather they are heard by a God who delights to do amazing things for the glory of His name. He may not answer our prayers the way we might wish or anticipate, but He will always do what is best. So bring all your cares, desires, requests, hopes and fears before our God. Release it all to Him. Then finally, praise Him for the great things He has done, He is doing, and He is yet to do.